‘Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.’
‘I have.’
‘Good.’
He swam closer to me, the moon contouring the lines of his face. ‘How did you do that?’
‘What?’
‘Get me to tell you something I had no intention of telling you.’
I shrugged. ‘Special talent, I guess?’
‘I thought your special talent was guessing what food people have ordered.’
I snorted at the reminder. ‘A girl can have more than one special talent.’
‘Well, thank God you’re better at getting people to open up than you are at guessing their food.’
I splashed him without thinking, and he splashed back. Bigger.
I wiped water from my eyes. ‘You shouldn’t have done that.’
‘You started it.’
I swam towards him. ‘I happen to be a bit of a champion at water fights.’
He grinned. ‘Another special talent of yours?’
I shrugged. ‘It’s less of a talent and more of a survival skill.’
‘I’m not scared of?—’
His words were cut off as I leapt on him, my hands on his shoulders, pushing him underneath the water before releasing him. He re-emerged above the surface seconds later, spluttering.
‘What was that for?’ he gasped.
‘Payback, obviously. You splashed me; I dunked you.’
He narrowed his eyes at me as he shook the water from his hair. ‘Oh, it ison.’
‘You wouldn’t dare,’ I called over my shoulder, already swimming away from him. The next thing I knew, I was underwater too, his hands clamped around my waist. I squealed, releasing bubbles, before he let go and I burst through the surface.
‘I guess I do dare.’ He laughed as I gaped at him. ‘Weren’t expecting that now, were yghusfh?’
The last word came out incoherent thanks to the mouthful of water I’d just splashed in his direction.
‘Do you give up?’ I asked, grinning.
He shook his head. ‘Never.’
He lunged towards me and I squealed again, freestyling away from him but not getting far before I felt his fingers wrap around my ankle. I was yanked back through the water, only stopping when I came smack bang up against his chest, face to face with him, one of his hands curled behind my back, holding me against him. Our laughter trailed off as we stared at each other, before his eyes lowered to my lips. I could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady beneath my palm. See water drops beading on his sharp, angular jaw. Without thinking, I lifted my hand and touched them, tracing my fingers along the length of his jaw, stopping to rest my fingertips in that soft place beneath his ear. I heard him suck in a breath sharply, his eyes probing mine.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said suddenly, releasing me and almost pushing me away. ‘I misjudged the distance. I didn’t mean to…’
‘It’s fine,’ I reassured him, hoping my face didn’t reflect the emotions I was feeling.
‘No, I shouldn’t have…’
